Browns preparing Tanney, Hanie to start at quarterback Sunday

Caleb Hanie didn’t get a call from an NFL team after being cut by the Ravens in training camp until the Browns brought him in for a tryout last week.
Alex Tanney was on the Cowboys’ practice squad for 12 weeks until the Browns signed him last Wednesday.
The Browns did not sign Hanie last week when Jason Campbell was recovering from a concussion, but they did sign him Tuesday because Brandon Weeden is in the same situation.
Neither Weeden nor Campbell was cleared to practice Wednesday as the Browns resumed practice for their game in New England on Sunday. Hanie and Tanney alternated passes in the portion of practice open to the media.
“It’s a crazy league,” Hanie said before practice. “One week you’re sitting at home (in Dallas) eating Thanksgiving with your family. The next week you could be playing for the Browns.
“I just try to take it in stride and just prepare the best I can and get myself ready. I don’t try to think about what kind of situation is too much. I just kind of come in here and take care of business.”
Coach Rob Chudzinski described the quarterback situation as “fluid’ and is holding off naming a starter. He might not identify his starter until Saturday night or even Sunday morning. He is hopeful Campbell or Weeden will be cleared by an independent doctor. He can’t count on either of them, though, so, for now, he is choosing between Hanie and Tanney.
“I’d like to see more of them and see them actually doing and going through the course of the game plan this week,” Chudzinski said. “We can wait until Friday or all the way up to game day, if we have to. I think we’ll get a better sense, though, as we get into practice and as those guys are getting the reps. We can go either direction once we get into that and once we get a feeling for one way or another.”
Weeden and Campbell have been cleared for activity. They can ride the exercise bike, but they are not allowed on the practice field. One of them might be cleared before Sunday, both of them could be or both could be held back.
“All of those things are possible but not predictable,” Chudzinski said. “Really, it’s out of my hands and it’s really a difficult thing to determine. It just is how they feel and how the medical team evaluates them.
“At this point, I would keep all of the options open. Obviously, that (either Campbell or Weeden playing without practicing) wouldn’t be ideal. I would like to see them back practicing, but we’ll have to weigh that with seeing the practice and the other guys practice, as well.”
Hanie played in 10 games and started four for the Bears from 2008 to 2011. He played in the NFC championship game following the 2010 season in place of injured Jay Cutler and completed 13 of 20 passes for 153 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the 21-14 loss to the Packers, who went on to win the Super Bowl. One of the interceptions was returned 18 yards for a touchdown by B.J. Raji to give the Packers a 21-7 lead with 4:43 to play.
Hanie has thrown three touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in the regular season. The numbers are not good, but he believes his experience will help if Chudzinski chooses him to start Sunday.
“I’ve at least been there and kind of get those nerves out of the way,” Hanie said. “There will be nerves either way if that’s the case, but I at least kind of know what to expect out there and know I can do it and have confidence in myself.
“My expectation is just to make good decisions, get the ball into playmakers hands and hold on and be protective of the football. Make no turnovers and stuff like that. That’s what kills you. I don’t have to win the game, but I don’t want to lose it, either.”
Hanie tried to stay sharp by throwing passes to a former high school teammate in Forney, Texas. Hanie said played in a similar offense with the Bears and said that should help him get up to speed quickly with the Browns.
Tanney played in the preseason in Dallas, but has no regular-season experience. He was an undrafted rookie with the Chiefs in 2012 and spent the season on injured reserve with a finger injury. Because he was on the Cowboys’ practice squad this season until the Browns called, he might be in more of a football groove than Hanie.
“I think I’m definitely growing in this system,” Tanney said Wednesday. “If I was called upon, I’m sure the game plan would be a little more extensive (than it would have been last week), just picking out the favorite plays that I feel comfortable with and able to execute them.
“Even on practice squad, even though I wasn’t getting a lot of reps, just running the scout team, you’re trying to put that in your terms and run that within your system and you’re studying the game plan just as hard as you are now. I thought I was prepared then as well.”

Tanney passed for 423 yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions in the preseason with the Cowboys.

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About the Author

Jeff has covered the Cleveland Browns since 1981. He also covers the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League and the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League. Reach the author at jschudel@news-herald.com
or follow Jeff on Twitter: @jsbrownsinsider.